Bringing Back the Bastard
by SweetTale4u
Summary: Something has changed in Severus after the war. With a new initiative in place by the ministry, Hermione Granger aims to bring back the man she misses so much. A story of healing and acceptance. Mature themes and language. There is a slash side pairing mentioned (HP/DM). AU.
1. Chapter 1

For Severus, the end of the war had finally bought with it the accolades and tributes he'd thought he wanted.

It also bought with it a deep anxiety and nervousness that had him resembling his former seventeen year old self. Even his one-time persistent stutter had begun to make its appearance again which did not lend itself to long lectures on potions or defense. So Severus had taken his medal and allotted hero ministry stipend and begun his own business.

Hours of brewing and utilizing owl post assured he didn't have to see or speak to anyone. To anyone else it would have seemed he was wallowing or somehow hiding from humanity when in reality, he just didn't see the point of embarrassing himself in public.

So now after five years of hiding he found he had no choice but to visit the Ministry. The summons had arrived three weeks prior. His reticence to appear had resulted in an official Ministry warning of arrest if he didn't comply.

The sky that was overcast when he left the dilapidated Spinner's End, was pelting down rain by the time he arrived at the ministry. His voluminous robes were completely soaked and his long hair stuck to the sides of his face obscuring most of his vision. He struggled with the wet robes in an effort to retrieve his wand which resulted in his newly acquired glasses to fall off his large nose.

The venom from Nagini's attack had affected his optic nerves and the glasses were now a constant reminder of his inability to duck fast enough. No matter how big said nose was he could not manage to keep the damned things from falling any time he bent down. Not even a sticking charm would work. This was just another reason he hated being in public.

His glasses crashed to the ground; he cursed and knelt to retrieve them. The action of kneeling led to the contents of his bag to spill out onto the Ministry atrium floor. He felt as clumsy and uncoordinated as a first year. Silently, Snape sent up a prayer to whatever deity was on duty that he be summarily struck down and put out of his misery.

He managed to wrestle his papers back into their place and was reaching for his glasses when the soft clicking of heels drew his attention. Looking up he saw a pair of very shiny black heels that led up to a shapely leg clad in what looked like the softest silk stockings Severus had ever seen. Not that he had seen many, but he imagined the texture against his skin and he shivered involuntarily. Severus could see a brief glimpse of garter at the skirt's slit and wondered if by chance whoever it was wouldn't notice him. Instead the woman attached to said leg bent over gracefully and picked up his glasses. Slumping slightly from his wet robes he managed to stand.

"I think you dropped something Professor."

"T-T-Thank you," he stammered, still not making eye contact with the woman. He just reached out a work worn hand to retrieve his glasses placing them again on his face. Once he had put them on he could see that he was looking onto the face of his former student Hermione Granger. Waiving her wand his clothes and hair dried instantly, the condensation upon the lenses was gone, and even the small tear in his bag was repaired. He chanced a look at her and saw she wore her ministry robes open, her muggle style skirt and blouse easily visible. She was elegant in ways Severus could only imagine. Long chestnut curls were pulled back slightly away from her face and her arms crossed at her chest. Her long manicured fingernails tapped her forearm as she waited for him to set himself to rights.

"There, that should do it. Really professor, I know you abhor foolish wand waving, but a simple drying charm can work wonders," she said, a bright smile lighting up her face.

He didn't want to meet her gaze. He didn't want to see her obvious disgust. He tried to look anywhere but at her, even keeping his eyes downcast, waiting for her to depart.

"So I guess I'll see you around Professor, or should I say Severus?"

"S-S-Severus will be f-fine M-Miss Granger."

She placed an elegant finger under his chin and tilted his face up to where he could meet her gaze, properly. The long dark curtains of silky black hair still obscured most of his face but this way she forced him to look at her.

Gone was the swotty bookworm and in her place stood a strong and confident woman. She seemed to exude sensuality and Severus could feel his mouth open as he gaped at the change.

Once she had made sure he'd looked at her, she turned heel and left, her long dress robes billowing behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Severus paced the narrow space between his coffee table and the hearth.

While his home had been updated significantly, it had not increased in size and old habits die hard. For Snape it was the comfort that came from watching his strides over the barren hardwood floors. The slight clicking of his boots worked to comfort his nerves. He glanced longingly towards the place where he had once kept copious amounts of liquor. No longer would he drown his sorrows or worries. The healer had told him that alcohol would just exacerbate his stammer so he had weaned himself off of it. Not that he didn't casually imbibe from time to time, but no longer was it a means of forgetting the world because no matter how drunk he got, the world would always be there when he awoke.

The entire day had been one oddity after another; it was a surreal feeling that he wasn't really awake. The encounter with Hermione Granger had completely rattled him, for one. The intimate way she had touched him, the way she'd spoken to him had left him wondering where the once knobby kneed buck tooth student he once had was. She was a vision of confidence and womanhood.

He shook his head from the inappropriate thoughts that threatened to take over his mind. There was no reason she would notice a man like him. He was not worthy of anything but disgust. He chanced a look in the small ornate mirror that hung over the brick hearth and saw nothing of value. He was unworthy of notice, he had been found wanting. The words of his father came back to haunt him. Even before his birth he had been a mistake. Life made sure to remind him of this daily. His hair hung limply, thin and greasy with further inspection showed some streaks of grey. His eyes were as dark and listless as they'd ever been and his nose was much too large for his gaunt face. His face was pale and his lips too thin. In all honesty, he looked like a walking dementor. Even the mirror knew better than to disagree with his assessment and remained quiet on the front.

There, sitting on the center coffee table was the file from the Minister. A looming reminder of the day's surreal events, it held either a new life or a curse. He was uncertain at the moment and unsure of how to proceed. What he had imagined would be a routine update of his work had turned into something completely different. Severus's hands still trembled a bit and he imagined that he would not soon get over the shock of the Minister's request. What were more daunting were the conditions and participants in the elaborate plan. Having momentarily decided he decided to return to work and ignore the file. He descended into his lab to work off the days' events.

**Later on that evening…**

"Bloody hell!"

After the fifth ruined batch of Pepper Up potion he decided against working. His chopping was affected, his timing was off, and there was no helping the jittery feeling he was having. Not even as a first year student had he made so many mistakes. As a child he had helped his mother prepare ingredients and never had he been this careless. Vanishing away the remains of the ingredients, he wiped his hands on his black work apron and made his way back upstairs.

There again the file awaited his return. Like some sort of sentinel keeping watch. The smooth material of the envelope called to him but he wished to avoid it as long as possible. The decision would change his life and he was reluctant to even take another step towards the table.

The Ministry wanted changes and it seemed every time they planned something big, Severus found himself reluctantly thrown into the fray. This time it was an initiative to encourage Ministry approved marriages. It wasn't a Marriage Law per se as they were not forcing witches and wizards to marry, just enticing them towards a program of ministry approved couplings.

The war bought with it many changes and some of those were the dwindling numbers of new marriages and subsequent births. Everyone seemed to revel in the fact that they had managed to survive the war and wanted to make the most of every moment alive, therefore instead of settling down, many decided to live the old fashioned way-in sin.

Severus on the other hand had not had the opportunity. He was recovering for months in the Intensive Care department at Saint Mungo's and another six months in Saint Mary's Home for the Magically Mangled. The potions needed to save his life drained a lot of his magic and with many trying to kill him he needed to be cared for by the Ministry almost around the clock.

Once he was well he was given the accolades he'd always desired but it seemed for him almost an afterthought, after the joy of having his life free of any masters. The stammer and nervousness had become commonplace after Nagini's attack and he feared he would never get rid of them. He had even seen a muggle psychologist and found that nothing could help him.

He sat at his sofa and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as one long finger traced the edges of the envelope. In there, were the list of Ministry approved candidates for this project. His fate was sealed on within those papers. He, Severus Snape, had been chosen as the ideal candidate for the Ministry marriage initiative.

Kingsley had known that Severus had not been completely forgiven by the public. Theirs was an old, set-in-their-ways culture. Many still believed the salacious reports of the _Prophet_ and labeled him a traitor and a murderer. It didn't matter that he had been pardoned, there were those that would sooner spit on him than speak to him. Dumbledore had been beloved by many and his demise at the end of Severus Snape's wand would not soon be forgiven or forgotten.

Severus thought back to his conversation with Kingsley earlier that day.

"_It isn't g-g-going to work K-K-Kingsley. I am sure that there are m-m-more suitable c-c-candidates."_

"_Don't be ridiculous, of course it will work. Who better to show unity and change than you? It will be a coupe and hopefully end all negative public sentiment. Think about it Severus, you will be the face of the new wizarding world, you and your partner will escort in a new era of change."_

"_D-d-don't be so d-d-dramatic…"_

_Kingsley waived him off and offered him another cup of tea; the man always had a smile on his face when dealing with Severus. It seemed he knew something Severus didn't, and Severus didn't like being in the dark. _

_Taking a seat again in his lush leather chair Kingsley took a long sip from his tea cup. Severus noted how comical the dainty cup looked in the man's large hands. He also watched for any tell-tale signs that Kingsley was being deceitful. When he saw nothing he relaxed slightly into the dark green wingback chair in front of the minister's desk and took a drink from his cup._

"_You will be incredibly pleased with the candidates we have chosen," Kingsley said as he put his cup down. "Each one has been vetted and matched using Arithmantic__calculations based on interests, school house, and other compatibility factors. I am sure that any one of them would make an excellent match Severus, have a look." The dark man motioned to the envelope on his desk. _

"_Severus, we both know things have never really been good for you. After the war there was a lot of talk about whether you should be sent to Azkaban along with the remaining death eaters. It took a lot of Malfoy's money to grease the wheels."_

_Severus meant to say something but Kingsley held up a hand to stop him._

"_We both know what your role in the war was Severus. I know you are a good man, unfortunately, you know how people are, especially in our world. There was a lot of outcry and Malfoy set a lot of people at ease. He is a good friend to you and owes you his life. He has become a friend and confident to me as well. He has turned a leaf in these last few years. Seems the fear of losing his family set him on the straight and narrow. He was instrumental in the research to get this program passed. It was his suggestion as well as mine that you be one of the first to participate."_

"_M-M-Malfoy said w-w-what?"_

"_You have been chosen to be a sort of poster child for the new program Severus. You will be paired with someone with an equal 'celebrity status', per se."_

"_N-n-no", he said horrified at the prospect of the marriage yolk. _

"_Severus, there is really no other way around it. Your reputation is in tatters, you have been a hermit for the better part of the last five years. The Ministry is offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity, a very lucrative one."_

The program itself would help those that participate, find suitable partners. In exchange for their participation, the ministry would provide a home and a monthly stipend. For Severus and whatever poor unfortunate soul he was matched with, it would mean public appearances on behalf of the Ministry program as well as outings to show that they were in fact a legitimate couple. The two would also need to cohabitate for a few hours a day, time that would be recorded by the Ministry. This information would all go towards furthering the legitimacy of the program to the public. At first Severus had vehemently refused. However another stipulation that Kingsley had underlined specifically for him definitely made the idea more palatable.

_The stipulations were simple. He could patent any potion and receive returns without Ministry intervention; he had carte blanch. This had been something that had held Severus back in his research. A small smile crept onto his face._

"_I knew you would appreciate that. No more begging for approval or permission, you could work unregulated. We trust you Severus and want the public to trust you as well. Can you imagine what that could mean to your business?" _

_Severus knew that he could be wealthy in a matter of months if he could patent some of the potions he had developed in secret. He would finally be able to make something of himself. His hands immediately began trembling; the attention would be too much. Dropping the parchments to the floor he stood back from the chair, tumbling over in a heap of dark robes. _

"_Dear Merlin, are you okay man?" Kingsley asked as he helped Severus to his feet. Severus nodded and attempted to straighten his robes and glasses. _

_Kingsley put his hand on Severus shoulder and squeezed softly. "It will be okay Severus, the war is over. It is your time to be happy. It can be scary, but I know that this will be a good thing for you."_

"_C-c-can't," he hissed. _

"_Severus, please give it some thought. There is one candidate that specifically asked to be tested for compatibility to you." Kingsley cajoled him._

_Severus' eyes widened. Someone would purposely pick him? That had to be a mistake. He shook his head. It couldn't be. He was nobody. Nobody wanted him. They didn't want him when he was a bastard, unworthy of love, of even a kind word. They definitely wouldn't want him now. He had been reduced to a bumbling mess of nerves and anxieties. Severus imagined it would be someone like Trelawney. She had been a right mess since making that prophecy so many years ago. Severus knew not everyone had made it out of these wars intact. Sure they were alive, but at what cost? He remembered multiple times he pulled the seer from the edge of the astronomy tower. To many the nightmares came during the waking hours as well. _

There was no reason for him to go through this. That was however until Kingsley had mentioned that one possible candidate.

"_Miss Hermione Granger asked to be tested as a possible candidate for you. As a matter of fact she was here earlier today filling out the required documents." _

_It would seem impossible, but Severus looked even paler at hearing the name of his former student. Kingsley watched with rapt attention at the scene before him. Severus fingered the envelope in his hand but didn't move to open it. He sat in silence for a few moments and Kingsley discretely followed the cues from Dumbledore. He needed to let Severus soak in the information at his own leisure; he would not yield to pressure. By the state of Severus' nerves, he looked close enough to falling part._

"_You s-s-say M-M-Miss G-G-Granger volunteered?"_

"_Yes, she did Severus. Under the condition we only test her compatibility with you, as it turns out her compatibility with you is nearly perfect. Look for yourself," Kingsley motioned towards the envelope._

_The envelope became somewhat heavier in Severus' hands. He couldn't look, couldn't see what the ministry had in store for him, it was all happening too soon, too fast. _

"_You do however have a choice Severus, no pressure, review the candidates and choose the one that best suits you. Once you have chosen you will find included therein the means by which to contact them. We do ask however if you wish to participate you let us know before this Friday because if not we will move on to our second choice for the program spokesperson."_

"_W-w-who would that b-be?"  
"Gilderoy Lockheart," Kingsley smiled. He knew that this would rattle Snape a bit. The man had been a ponce clown that never rubbed Severus the right way. _

_At the sound of the ministry's second choice Snape scoffed. Shaking his head he pocked the envelope, shook Kingsley's hand and left the office. _

Severus now sat holding the envelope in his hand, running one long finger under the clasp he felt the ministry magical seal open. Spreading the parchments on the center table he saw what candidates had been chosen and what their scores had been.

Firstly, there was Sybil Trelawney. His compatibility with her was a mere 45%. There were commonalities in that they had both been teachers and that they liked to read and drink, other than that, there was nothing else. Setting aside the smiling picture of his former co-worker he saw the second candidate, Milicent Bulstrode. His former student was a 65% match in compatibility. They both preferred solitude and enjoyed private research. One fact that they both shared 100% compatibility was that they both preferred women. Severus shook his head. He wondered what they had offered the Slytherin girl in exchange for her agreeing to being tested. Lastly, he saw the smiling image of Hermione Granger. Her smoky eyes looked up from beneath thick lashes; a riot of curls framed her small face as she demurely smiled at the camera. It wasn't a fake smile but one aimed at luring in the viewer. Severus watched the image look down and up and smile repeatedly. For a few moments he sat mesmerized at the woman she had become. Fearing he would get lost in his thoughts he turned the image over to review the statistics. Miss Granger had almost 100% compatibility in all factors. She enjoyed reading, researching as well as travel, and she valued her privacy. These were all points that were very important to Severus. It seemed that the Ministry had made these calculations based on magical Arithimancy which was why none of the candidates had needed to fill anything out. They merely needed to consent to the testing.

He remembered reading of Miss Granger's accomplishments in the paper. He was very impressed with what she had been able to do in their world as a Muggleborn witch in such a short time. He wondered what her agenda was in this instance. He could see no good reason for her to agree to this, the girl had her entire life in front of her. Maybe this was some ill-conceived notion to try and save him or maybe as a way to further her career. For whatever reason, these numbers could not lie. Hermione Granger was a near perfect match to him. His stomach did a bit of a flip flop remembering their encounter that morning at the ministry. The way she'd looked at him, the confidence with which she had touched him.

"Could it be possible?" he wondered aloud, gazing at the papers, but unseeing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for your positive feedback regarding this tale. I appreciate your follows as well as your reviews, they bring a smile to my face that so many are following along. A big thank you to my Beta araeofsomething for constantly keeping me on my toes and providing the much needed inspiration to keep going. **

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**Chapter Three**

"You can't be serious Kingsley," Hermione said as she paced the small area in front of the minister's desk.

"I mean, I can see how this will benefit the Ministry, heck I can definitely see how it will benefit Snape, but how in Merlin's name does this benefit me?"

Kingsley knew Hermione Granger to be a tough, yet reasonable woman. The time at school however, especially the war, had hardened her. Gone was the swotty bushy haired girl and in her place stood a hardened war veteran, one with both looks and brains—a deadly combination. The public adored her and she'd remained humbled despite enormous successes both during and after the war. For this reason, Kingsley found her attitude odd.

"Hermione, certainly you can see what this match can do for you?"

Kingsley knew that regardless of how popular Hermione Granger had been after the war, she was not one to stick with a partner for very long. Her patience wore thin and she very quickly dismissed suitor after suitor. This was beginning to make her look bad, at least among those at the Ministry. The press was soon to pounce on her 'flighty ways', and it was only due to Kingsley's continued influence that they kept from printing salacious stories about the young woman.

Hermione thought long and hard about Kingsley's words. The man he was suggesting, the one she had fallen for as a teenager was gone and in his place stood a broken, stammering shell of a ghost. What Hermione wanted, hell, what she _needed_ was a warrior, a fighter. She wanted the dark bastard that made women and men alike cower in abject fear. That was the man she wanted, the man she needed. The men she had dated before had been found lacking in every area possible. Sure there were those that were beautiful, those that were cocksure and confident, but none had what she wanted, what she desired.

"As he is now, he does nothing for me," her voice sounded cold even to her own ears. She had given her life to the Ministry up to this point. Recruited from the age of 11 to fight a war that wasn't theirs, she'd persevered, gave them her everything. Hermione rubbed the scar on her forearm, a constant reminder of her sacrifices. Her vanity found her repairing the scar on her chest but the one on her arm she had left to serve as a reminder of the hate that had once existed in her world. This was the reason this time she was cautious, she wasn't so anxious to serve. She would be damned if she got roped into another one of the Ministry's grand plans without at least putting up some resistance.

"Hermione, please consider all the good this will do for our world. How much it will help Severus in particular. You know that things weren't the same for him as they were for you after the war. The man is truly broken; you said it yourself just a moment ago. Maybe swaying public opinion is just what he needs," Kingsley pleaded with the young woman.

Hermione scoffed, "You talk as if he cares about what people think of him. The man I- The Professor we knew was a double agent, a mastermind of deception and snark that didn't take shite- he gave it. That man, that person, is gone."

Hermione threw up her arms in frustration and made to leave the office but Kingsley quickly scrambled to keep her there, "Maybe you can change that?" He could hardly believe he was encouraging this but he knew he had to try.

She had her hand on the door knob when she finally turned to answer him, "Why would I want to put myself, let along Severus Snape, in this position? Really Kingsley, my private life as is his, is private. Subjecting my personal life to constant scrutiny by the press and the ministry is not my idea of a sensible plan, even if it is to encourage wizarding couples to marry using your plan. Sure I know the plan looks good in theory, but in practice it will fail. There is no way he will agree to this."

"He already has," Kingsley lied.

Hermione cocked her head and wrung her hands, a nervous tick she thought she had lost. _It couldn't be possible, could it? _She thought.

"How…I mean…explain," she stammered, she was at a loss for words. She needed time to gather her thoughts so she motioned for him to continue. She had not expected to be told that Snape had agreed. She figured he'd refuse on principle and she could go about her life without further ministry interference.

Kingsley had been a spy and politician for years, he knew how to manipulate and play people with practiced ease. One would think he had a special kind of magic that allowed him the ability to say the right thing at the right time. It was uncanny what he had been able to accomplish when put to task. Bending the truth had allowed him to meet the needs to his ends on many occasions, this would be another one. His time as minister had included his constant instruction from the portrait of Dumbledore. A master manipulator, Dumbledore advised on everything that was done at the ministry, this particular plan was no different. Kingsley had learned from the best and he was about to put his skill to good use.

"I explained the initiative to Severus and presented him with the ministry approved candidates. He refused throughout, not wanting to even consider the plan that is…"

"That is what? What aren't you telling me?" Hermione felt her pulse begin to race.

"I told him you specifically requested him."

"You did what?!" Hermione shouted, her face red and the magic within her crackling from her very pores. Hermione could hear the shrill in her voice, like nails on a chalkboard but she didn't care. She fingered the smooth dark wood of her wand as she moved towards Kingsley.

Backing away quickly with his hands up in mock surrender he pled with Hermione, "Hermione please, let me explain."

Pulling the familiar wooden length into her palm she pointed it directly at Kingsley's smug face.

"Just give me a reason why I shouldn't Kingsley."

"Miss Granger…"

A soft voice Hermione knew too well but hadn't heard in many years broke the tension in the office.

Hermione turned her head slightly towards the voice, her wand lowering only a fraction. Regardless of how he had manipulated them all including Snape, Hermione couldn't be angry at her former headmaster. He had paid the ultimate price with his life. No use kicking a dead horse. She wasn't however without suspicion.

Slightly abashed by her behavior she stepped away from Kingsley and turned towards the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"Headmaster…"

"Miss Granger, please sit, I know you feel somehow betrayed, but let me put you at ease."

Hermione sat in the worn leather chair directly facing the portrait of her former headmaster. She crossed her long legs and leaned her wand hand on her knee as she waited for the man's painted visage to continue.

"Miss Granger, you of all people are aware of Severus' tragic background. The hard life that he lived, the difficult decisions he had to make and even those decisions that were thrust upon him."

At this Hermione harrumphed. The portrait noted just how much like the old Severus she looked when she did this. She wondered if her cold demeanor was in fact in honor of the man she had grown to admire. He wondered if that would work in their favor and motioned to Kingsley to listen carefully.

As for Hermione, she knew well what decisions had been forced on her former professor. To imagine having one's love corrupted, twisted and used to manipulate. To have been asked to do the unthinkable, the betrayal he must have felt at the hands of this very man that claimed to have been his friend. The more she thought about it the more incensed she became. Her hand trembled and small sparks floated from the tip of her wand. Hermione could understand if Voldemort would do this but in reality, Dumbledore had been the real villain. Hermione shook her head in disbelief, how terribly tragic Severus' life had been and the man that caused much of his hardship sat twinkling in a gilded frame talking to her.

"Miss Granger, Hermione…" the paintings voice was softer now especially realizing the woman was emanating the kind of raw magical energy that could render his painting inert. Hermione wondered the magic that it took to create these living memories, this immortal gateway that contains both past memories and creates new ones.

"Yes headmaster," she answered her voice cold and inpatient as he had not spoken again.

"Severus has never been chosen. Never been anyone's first choice for anything good. He's been a pawn, a slave and a true martyr in many ways, more so than me. Of all the things he was, he was never someone's first choice for a partner."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief and stood, she paced frantically, throwing up her hands and pointing her wand at the smug painting, "And you once again you wish to decide for him? Didn't you learn anything old man? The man deserves the right to make his own choices!" Hermione was furious at the man for his presumption to choose once again the path of Snape's life. When were they going to learn, that they were not pieces on a chessboard.

"Hermione, you misunderstand, the decision is still his to make," Kingsley said as he handed her a folder with her name on it.

"It will be his choice in the end. We just told him you wanted the opportunity to be matched to him and he immediately took interest. He left with a dossier on all of the ministry's candidates. We were at an impasse until we mentioned your involvement."

Hermione paused for a moment sitting quietly as she stared off into nothing. She needed a few moments to gather her thoughts. She had not expected to hear that and honestly it rattled her a bit. She needed to weigh her options and her future plans. How would "he" fit into them? It was pointless trying to lie to herself. Hermione had fancied him since she'd first sat in his class. She wasn't lying however when she'd told Kingsley that the man she'd seen that morning wasn't the Snape that she knew. Gone was the spark of darkness, the touch of the malevolent, and the snark that permeated the very magic that flowed from him. She couldn't see how any ministry forced program would help bring that back.

Drastic circumstances call for extreme measures.

The ministry initiative would allow her unlimited access to the man. She would have to create her own initiative, 'the bringing the bastard back' program. She tried to hide the smirk that threatened to give her thoughts away.

"I will think about it. Until when do I have?"

"If you wish to participate, we would need to know by this Friday the latest," Kingsley said.

Standing abruptly she grabbed the file on Snape that Kingsley held extended in his hand and stormed out the door.

Shaking his painted head Dumbledore chuckled from his frame, "The girl even moves like him. If anyone can bring the Severus we all knew, it's her."

"I hope you're right Dumbledore," Kingsley said as he downed what remained of his tea, "I hope you're right."


	4. Chapter 4

Dear readers, thank you again for your follows and your encouraging messages. If you are new to the story, welcome, if you are just checking in, thank you. Like what you read, drop me a quick message/review and tell me what you think. I love hearing from you all and I thank you for taking the time to read this little tale. Gracias!

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Chapter Four

Hermione warred with herself as to whether or not to discuss the Ministry's latest scheme with Harry and Draco. The two young men had been inseparable since the final battle. Over the years the three had grown as thick as thieves with Hermione confiding in them about many, if not all of her romantic ventures. She'd even been chosen as the best maiden at their wedding.

Tossing the Ministry dossier on Snape onto her lounge chair, Hermione lit the fire in the grate and prepared a strong cup of tea. The idea of spending time with Severus Snape was incredibly appealing to the young woman. That morning at the Ministry she had loved coming to his rescue. She recalled how he trembled in her presence. The flinch at her touch spoke of what she suspected. For now however she would approach dealings with the man with particular caution and consideration as to his condition. It was obvious that the war had taken a toll on him and she aimed to discover just how deep his issues ran.

Hermione stood and paced the length of her flat, palming her steaming cuppa. She'd become somewhat comfortable in her living after the war and her studies were completed. She owned both a flat in London and a small cottage in the country. She tried valiantly to split her time between both properties but found that work kept her most often times in London.

The rain from earlier was now falling like flurries as the first snowfall of the season was upon them. As night fell over the city, Hermione sipped her tea and looked out onto the street. She could see people bustling about their busy day, oblivious to the magical building hidden in plain sight. There were two other tenants in the building in which she leased her flat; both of which were in America on business. They never saw each other and Hermione was relieved. She liked her privacy.

As hundreds of twinkling lights winked at Hermione she thought about the course of her future.

She wouldn't lie to herself, it was pointless to try and deny that she had always been intrigued by Severus Snape. It was an infatuation that had begun very early on in her teen years. She remembered feeling her body change and the feelings his voice would elicit in class, the warmth that spread through her when he walked about the room, his robes smelling of herbs and spices, his voice honeyed in its resonance. She shivered slightly remembering the many times she had bought herself to climax remembering his lectures, imagining what that voice would sound like whispering her name in sweet release.

While she had been infatuated with the man, she had not put her life on hold. _Childhood crushes are just that, things to be put aside for real life, _she told herself. Merlin knew she'd had her share of dalliances, some good and some not worthy of mention, let alone reminiscing. At 28 years old, she was beginning to wish for a more stable presence in her life and she idly wondered if her former professor could be that man, in spite of his changed demeanor.

"Well, there is no time like the present to find out," she whispered to herself.

Pulling parchment from her desk she scribbled a quick note, starting and stopping a few times before finally deciding what she wished to say before floo calling the owl agency for a courier owl.

As Severus finished reading the folder of candidates, he settled on there being no easy way of approaching the matter. He was inexperienced with personal relationships and feared regardless of Ministry decree he was at a loss of how to proceed. Even if he decided he would proceed with their plans he feared he would make a fool of himself both publically and privately. He had never had to make a decision like this for himself and being left to his own devices he found that he was utterly unprepared. A soft tap at the kitchen window drew his attention away from the matter at hand. The hour was late and Severus wondered who could be writing him, noticing as he let the owl in that it had begun to snow from the darkened skies. He imagined it might be a client in need of an emergency potion and quickly rewarded the owl with a treat and sent it on its way. Unrolling the small scroll as he absentmindedly closed the window he begun to read.

_Severus, _

_I hope this message finds you recovered from your visit to the Ministry. I was wondering if I could persuade you to join me for tea tomorrow afternoon. It seems we have a lot to discuss. The runes on the parchment will activate and serve as a portkey to my location. The portkey is set to activate at half past four. _

_H G_

The smooth parchment trembled in Severus' hands as he re-read the missive for the fifth time. It seemed that Miss Granger, had taken the initiative in their dealings and he was, for the moment, spared any embarrassment.

The idea of the charmed runes had been a wholly original one of her invention. Severus recalled reading the journal article she'd published upon her discovery. It was just one of the many breakthroughs she'd had which had landed her name on the tongue of everyone in their world. The young woman had big dreams which made Severus wonder what she would want with a broken shell of a man like him.

The much lauded war heroine was not only talented but she was also beautiful as Severus had confirmed that morning at the Ministry. Severus feared he was woefully out of depth with this woman. Certainly, he had taught her as a child but he was nowhere near knowing how she was as a grown woman.

Severus tried to remember just how long it had been, he figured it was somewhere around a decade since he had last had her as a student. Her need for approval, her constant need to be correct had grated on his already overworked nerves and he reacted badly. He was abashed to recall just how poorly he'd treated the young girl. She couldn't be faulted for his shortcomings, she was just a child. Yet Severus found a way to make sure both she and her friends suffered the brunt of his indignities.

No matter how many times Severus wished he had done things differently, he knew it to be impossible. He had been predestined to play the lousy hand the universe had given him. He sat there at the small kitchen table and thought about meeting his former student, his long fingers drawing small patterns on the yellow linoleum of the old table.

Severus tried to recall every detail of their meeting that morning at the Ministry and cringed in horror. He imagined he made a lasting impression on the young woman, unfortunately not the kind he'd want to. There was nothing to it, he wouldn't go. He couldn't, better yet he wouldn't, burden this young woman with his wretched presence. He'd contact the Ministry and speak to Kingsley. He would decline their offer, he was not ready to face the world, let alone spearhead a campaign.

**The Following Morning…**

Severus woke with his face firmly pressed to the linoleum of his kitchenette table. The parchment had stuck to his oily forehead, smudging the letters slightly. Hurrying to the floo, Severus left a message for Kingsley with his assistant, stating with all certainty that while grateful for the opportunity, he would have to decline. Closing the connection once he was convinced that the secretary had understood him above his terrible stammer, he headed for his lab with a renewed sense of accomplishment.

Unbeknown to Severus, Hermione Granger had planned for this exact scenario. So at exactly half past four, while Severus stood in the larder rummaging in his biscuit tin, the runes on the parchment glowed a faint green, then red. With a faint pop Hermione Granger stood at the canary yellow kitchen table at Spinner's End.

"Well, well, I hope you saved me some biscuits."


End file.
